But the City of Red Deer will replace carts, within reason, if they are vandalized or go missing.

Director of Development Services, Kelly Kloss, said he would question the homeowner who loses three to four carts within a short period. “We might have a talk about better options for security…”

When asked by some city councillors about who will pay for damaged or stolen carts on Monday, Kloss said the city would. But he quickly added that due-diligence will still be on homeowners to take care of their carts.

Since all carts will be imprinted with a code that’s attached to a certain residence it will be easy to trace lost carts and determine who they belong to, he added.

Kloss admitted some people will probably take better care of their carts than others, but “the inference is this is their property and to take care of it.”

“We’re not over-thinking this,” he added, since most cities with cart programs have not had problems with a lot of waste receptacles going AWOL.

Coun. Michael Dawe said he’s heard mostly positive public comments about the introduction by early April of the first of three carts (the blue recyclables and black garbage carts, will be introduced in 2019).

Dawe hopes there will be opportunities for residents to give feedback on how the program is working. Kloss said the city’s communications department is working on a input process.

On Monday, council approved a 2.4 per cent increase (or an additional $2.49 a month) for the cost of for water, wastewater and waste management. This covers the extra $1 a month that households will have to pay for the introduction of green carts.

When added to the already approved two per cent increase to local electric bills (or $2.88 per month more), this means Red Deer’s will be on average $5.37 higher starting March 1.